Baba ganoush is a delicious eggplant dip, originally from Lebanon, but served throughout the Middle East in slightly different variations. 

Some versions of Baba ganoush are creamy, like the one I made here, and are often called Moutabal. The creamy texture and wonderful taste come from mixing the eggplant puree with tahini, olive oil, crushed garlic, paprika powder, and lemon juice. Moutabal sometimes also includes yogurt, making it even creamier, while yogurt is not as common in Baba ganoush. Other variations of Baba ganoush are chunkier and are additionally mixed with chopped tomatoes, onions, and sometimes walnuts. Both Baba ganoush and Moutabal are often topped with pomegranate seeds, herbs, olive oil, and a sprinkle of sumac (a tangy and fruity spice commonly used in the Middle East).

A characteristic of traditional Baba ganoush is the smoky flavor, which comes from preferably grilling the eggplants over an open flame until the skin on the outside is scorched and can easily be removed. However, it is perfectly fine to bake the eggplants in the oven, even though the smoky flavor will be less prominent. 

Baba ganoush (and Moutabal) is typically served with Meze, consisting of cold and warm small dishes. It's also often served as an appetizer with, for example, Lebanese bread or pita bread. Baba ganoush is also wonderful as a side dish to grilled meat!

Ingredients: 

♥ 3 large eggplants
♥ 1 lemon, juiced
♥ 0.5 dl olive oil
♥ 1 dl light tahini
♥ 2 cloves of garlic
♥ 1 tsp paprika powder (sweet type)
♥ ground salt and pepper

Topping: 
♥ olive oil
♥ sumac (see tips)
♥ paprika powder (sweet type)
♥ parsley leaves 
♥ pomegranate seeds

Instructions: 

Place the eggplants on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Poke them with a fork to make some holes.

Place the sheet in the middle of a very hot oven, 240°C. Let the eggplants bake for about 1 hour (see tips). Turn them every fifteen minutes. The eggplants should have collapsed, and the skin should be wrinkled and preferably a bit scorched. 

Remove the eggplants from the oven and let them cool on the sheet (they are very hot, so this is important to avoid burning yourself). 

Make an incision in the eggplants and scrape out the flesh with a spoon.

Let it drain well to remove excess liquid. 

Put the eggplant flesh in a food processor along with the pressed lemon juice, olive oil, tahini, crushed garlic, and paprika powder. Blend this into a smooth cream. Season with ground salt and pepper. 

Transfer the eggplant cream to a flat bowl.

Feel free to create a pattern on top with a tablespoon, so the toppings can settle into the grooves. 

Drizzle a little olive oil over it and sprinkle with sumac and, if desired, also a little paprika powder. 

Then sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and optionally some pomegranate seeds. 

Serve with bread.

Wonderful to tear Lebanese bread into pieces and dip the pieces in this creamy eggplant dip! 

Tips: 

♥ The eggplants need a long time in the oven at high heat to become sufficiently soft inside. For large eggplants, you need 1 hour at 240°C. If you have slightly smaller eggplants, you can use 4 pieces, and 45 minutes in the oven is usually enough. 

♥ Alternatively, you can place the eggplants on the grill until they are completely soft inside. 

♥ Sumac is a slightly tangy spice consisting of ground sumac berries. Available in grocery stores in Norway with a good selection of spices. 

♥ Lebanese bread is available in international grocery stores and also in some large Norwegian supermarkets. Pita bread can also be used. 

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Very tasty Baba ganoush!  😍

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